Relish of Blood
by axrinekey
Summary: It was Elena's senior year in high school. The triangle love had started to reform. Events gyrate around Damon, which were unfamiliar yet possibly real started to appear in Elena's dreams. What could possibly be happening? What is enough to alter one's desire, love interest, needs? This story is all about Elena's decisions. -DELENA-
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I've been addicted to Vampire Diaries ever since I started to watch last year. DELENA FOREVER! Anyway, I do not own any of the characters of Vampire Diaries. Anyway, enjoy! I'll try to update as frequent as possible before my uni starts on September! **

**- Chapter One -**

**Erroneous Dream**

The wind was serenading love song; the clouds were diligently piling up to cover up the blue sky. Birds were dancing elegantly with their wings flapping up and down, their beaks opened and closed, leaving chirps behind as they flew. The leaves started to dry up a little, merging green and yellow.

It was another new school year. Summer holiday just ended but the air was still fresh with summer scent. Students were bolting to the school, not because they were keen to the new school year (well, at least not for most of the students), but they reached school at the eleventh-hour. Inside of Mystic Falls High School's hallway, students were hassling onto each other; slamming metal noises were heard as the students put their possessions into the lockers.

She was wearing a plain violet round neck t-shirt and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. A bag was dangling on her right shoulder, her left arm was holding onto two thick text books, which the first book had "History of Mystic Falls, by Georgia Jenner" inscribed on the cover. She slowly brushed her dark brown straight hair behind her ear as wind puffed onto her head.

"Elena!" a blonde called. "Finally, you're here!"

She marched towards the blonde. "I'm so sorry. I had a rough night, and then I woke up late. I have to prepare breakfast for Jeremy-"

"Let me guess, you and Stefan were busy the whole night." She raised an eyebrow mischievously. Her tone was eager. "You know, se-"

"Not that!" She quickly responded, while slapping onto Caroline's arm playfully. "It's just this… _dream_."

"Dream?" A dark skinned girl appeared, which startled both the girls. "I can help you a little about _dream_."

"Nevermind, it's nothing. Let's just get into class, we're late."

**...**

It was dark, it was midnight. She was sitting by the window as the wind stroke on her face gently. She swept her hair back and tied it with a black hair tie. She was not surprised at all that there was a man sitting on the stool near her vanity table.

"So, what now?" she asked, while her gaze was directed to that man.

His light blue eyes ogled back intently. His slightly curly dark brown hair swayed back and forth as the wind from the window blew to him. He stood upright and moved his steps closer to hers. His robust arms grabbed onto the back of her neck, and then slowly he caressed her face.

He frowned as his rose-coloured lips parted. "I love you."

Without hesitation, he pressed his lips onto hers. She returned the favour while closing her eyes slowly. It seemed like forever before he broke the kiss. He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her farther away from him.

"I'm sorry, I can't be _this_ selfish. I can't be selfish to you."

His eyes fixated on hers. This time the gaze was completely different. His irises were different, expanded. She was as though in trance. She could not hear a single word that was delivered from his mouth. All she could see was the look of his face, his lips moving, but no voice was heard.

"Miss Gilbert," was the only voice she heard.

"Miss Gilbert." Again.

"Miss Gilbert!"

Her surrounding changed, from the dim lighted bedroom to a direct-sunlight classroom. She was surrounded by her classmates, whose eyes were consumed on her. For a moment, she was baffled.

"Miss Gilbert," Mr. Saltzman called for the fourth time, or at least it was the fourth time she heard.

"Yes Ala-" she stammered. "I mean, Mr. Saltzman."

He looked concerned. His brows puckered. He moistened his lips with his tongue. "I hope your soul is still here with us in history class, and not wander off to year 1897."

The whole class burst a chuckle.

_Ring!_

"I guess that's it for today. Class dismissed." The students rushed out of class without a second thought.

"Elena," Stefan had been sitting beside of her all this while, and yet she did not realise. Her mind was devoured into her dream. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She replied. She pushed her chair backwards and stood up.

"I know, things had been messy and unexpected," Saltzman appeared. "Just be strong."

Things were tough, _really_. With the originals appearing, the hybrid's sister's threats, nonstop deaths, Damon… She just wanted a _normal_ life, a normal _human_ life, not events revolve around supernatural.

"I'm fine, Alaric." She pursed on her lips. She continued to walk out of the classroom. Stefan followed her at the back. She went to her locker and put the books back into the locker. As she shut her locker, there appeared a blonde, whose eyes widened.

"What took you guys so long?" Caroline asked. "Come on, we have to discuss about our new school year party!"

"Do we even have that?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm Miss Mystic Falls," Caroline grinned. "So I get to pioneer any parties I want."

"Sorry, I will have to pass," Elena replied. "I don't feel that well today."

"Are you alright?" Stefan asked. "You look sapped the whole day."

Elena only nodded lightly.

"Come, I'll get you a ride home."

Elena waved goodbye to Bonnie and Caroline. The couple then headed towards a Red Porsche 356B Karmann Coupe.

"Hey there." A man's arm blocked Elena's way into the Porsche. His light blue eyes beamed. His lips pursed with a smirk. His tone body was invisible over the tight-fitting black t-shirt.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" Her voice was filled with uneasiness. Her heartbeat was unevenly throbbing.

"Well, Miss All-Time-Goodie," he raised both of his eyebrows. "I came here to look for my little brother."

She puzzled for a moment. Her heart had been racing ever since he appeared. It may be caused by the shock from his sudden appearance, or maybe…

"Uhm, Stefan." She swallowed that thick lump in her throat.

"I heard him," Stefan stood out from his car. He rolled his eyes while asking, "What do you want from me, _brother_?"

"Oh, here's our all-time-favourite Salvatore."

"Spit it out, Damon." Stefan crossed his arms.

"What did you do, Elena? He's all fired up." He walked to the other side of the car then grabbed Stefan to a side, nearby the tree.

She was curious about their conversation. Their looks were peculiar, and she noticed Stefan and Damon gave her that "look" at different times. She was getting impatient. Her feet automatically moved towards them but Damon laid his feet off first.

"My job is done," his arms lifted mid-air as though he surrendered. He smirked and then went into his sky blue Ford Mustang.

"What were you discussing?" Elena gave a doubtful look. "You two looked anxious."

"It's nothing." Both of them entered the Porsche. "Just some family business."

"You know there shouldn't be any secrets between _us_, right?"

"I know." He breathed in deeply then let out a sigh. "It's really nothing."

"But from what I see, it's not that easy."

"Elena, it's nothi-"

"Fine, you don't want to talk about it, we'll just end it here. OK?" Elena shut her mouth, crossed her arms. Her eyesight fixated over the window. After a moment of rational thoughts, she started to feel the sense of guilt that was pushed from her guts, or wherever it came from. She knew she was being a little unpleasant and unreasonable, but somehow her pride forbad her to apologise, or even to start a conversation.

As they reached her house, she opened the car door abruptly before Stefan could park the car properly. Her pace was swift.

"Elena!" Stefan called, but Elena was already walking into the house.

"I'm fine!" She shouted from the inside.

Stefan was still standing beside of his car. Strangely, he did not follow Elena to enter her house. He went back into his car and drove off. Elena walked out of the house, and the only thing she saw was the smoke left from the exhaust pipe of the Porsche.

"Seriously?" She squeaked in disbelief. She took her cell phone out from her pocket. She dialled onto Damon's number. He made her to have that dream which seemed so real but yet so unrealistic. Without the dream, she would not be so perplexed the whole day; she would not keep recalling that dream all the time; she would not have butterflies in her stomach when she saw Damon; she would not get so easily sensitive on Stefan… Everything seemed so "inception". Placing an idea into a dream and fulfilling the idea through dream. Maybe Elena had too much movies.

"This is really strange, but what can I do for you, Miss I-Love-Stefan-forever?" Damon's voice could be heard over the phone.

She was not really ready for this conversation, actually. "Uhm... Uh…"

"I assume you misdialled my number." Damon continued calmly.

"What did you tell Stefan?"

"Secrets that should be kept from unicorns like you," she could imagine that evil smirk on his face, even though she only heard words over the phone.

"What did you do?" Her voice was firm and stern.

"I sense accusation here," Damon spoke. "So, what's my accusation, Judge Elena?"

"Whatever you do, there'll never be an '_us_' thing. OK?"

Damon remained silent. _Was I too harsh?_

The muteness on the phone was getting awkward and perturbed.

"Hello?"

"I'm leaving town." Damon spat.

"What?" Elena gulped. "Oh."

"Better for me the leave than being the troublemaker between two love birds."

"It's great. I mean, it is really a great idea for you to leave." Her mind was absolutely directionless. "I mean, new exploration, self-discovery, whatever-"

"I'm leaving because I can't stand looking at you two lovey-dovey, listening to your moaning when you two have sex, and repeatedly telling each other how much you love each other." Damon sounded really upset and irritated. "Don't misunderstand, I really did try my best not to hear all your undisclosed desires but you two really sounded like you were holding a concert."

"I'm… I'm speechless," Elena was puzzled. Was he trying to make her feel guilty, remorseful? "I'm sorry we never consider your feelings."

"Pfft, I don't need you to repent." He did not sound like he was in distraught, though it could be just an act. "I'm not that pathetic."

"OK."

"Bye." He responded as quickly as possible.

_Doot_.

He ended.

Her eyes wandered, her mind wondered. What exactly happened? She knew how he felt for her, and she rejected him numerous times. But this time, it just felt weird. It did not look like Damon's signature to spatter his feelings and complaints even if he was on exasperation. Damon Salvatore, leaving Mystic Falls? Impossible. Well, unless he really meant what he said. He could not endure watching the couple together. Then, didn't it mean the couple was at fault for not being considerable? However, if he could not endure such ache, then he should leave. It was the best solution. Somehow, there was a prickle in Elena's heart for Damon's sudden departure, even though she was not really convinced that Damon would really leave town. Maybe that surreal dream had really gotten to her.

_That dream is just a dream. Forget about it, Elena!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Vampire Diaries! Anyway, enjoy Chapter 2! ^^**

**- Chapter Two -**

**Never Will Be**

His hands were holding onto the steering wheels. His grip was so tense that he could easily split the steering wheels into two. He recalled the conversation he and Damon had earlier.

"Well, brother bear, your wish is coming true." Damon pursed his lips.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm leaving town," Damon rolled his eyes. Then, he mimicked in a higher childish pitch, while both of his fists punched to the air. "_Hurray! Big brother here will never bother Elena and I anymore_!"

"You know I don't feel that way." Of course, in his heart, Stefan did feel a little glad that his older brother decided to leave town. But Damon's words were never to be trusted. He never fulfilled what he spoke of.

"Pfft," Damon teased. "Don't pretend I'm an innocent 14-year-old teenager who still watches Twilight. Stefan, you are contented that I am leaving for good."

"Why are you leaving again?" Stefan ignored the provocation.

"I'm just doing what all good brothers will do to their little brothers." He took a short stare at Elena before turning back to his brother. "What can I say, I am a _good_ brother."

Stefan was dubious at his brother's confession. "What's the catch?"

"No catch, brother," he rolled his eyes again and then pressed a smile on his face. "I'm leaving for good. Maybe I'll find another girl for myself. Who is to know?"

Damon's words were unreliable, as always. What was he planning? Was he trying to dig compunction from him and Elena? Was he trying to force Elena to choose between the Salvatore brothers? What was he trying to do? Stefan had never really understood his brother. On the contrary, Damon knew his brother far too well. Stefan did not have a good feeling about Damon's departure. Was it true? He just wanted to leave Mystic Falls for good? Anyhow, Stefan would never allow Damon's evil plan to be achieved. Not when it involved Elena and jeopardising their relationship.

Stefan's mind was about to blow. He stopped his car as he reached his house. He jumped out of his car, whizzed to the doorstep, opened his door, whizzed to his brother's room, to find out his brother was nowhere to be seen. Where could he be?

**...**

She was still on rage. Where the heck did Stefan go? She just wanted him to pacify her. Then, maybe they could make out in her room, and maybe she could do a makeup sex. She was holding onto her cell phone, waiting for it to ring, waiting for him to call, waiting for him to text. Unfortunately, after half an hour, the phone was still noiseless, no text, no call. She threw her cell phone onto her bed and dived herself onto the pillows.

Damon on the other hand, had no calls and no texts for her either. What's wrong with the Salvatore brothers? She grabbed hold to her phone and scrolled to double confirm there were no miss calls or unread texts. None.

Suddenly, she missed Stefan so much. She scrolled on her phone's images. She did not have much of Stefan's photos, she realized. She scrolled and scrolled and scrolled and… there he was. Damon Salvatore, that gorgeous hunk. She almost forgot she had a photo of him. She remembered how she had to force him into taking a picture. Well, she was slightly drunk. It was a bonfire party. She was frantically taking photographs of people. Then, Damon was sitting on a rock, drinking to a paper cup. His light blue eyes glimmered as the fire burned wildly. His eyes beamed at her. She moved her feet towards him.

He was about to take a sip from his paper cup but he realised she had appeared in front of him earlier than he expected. He frowned. "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking pictures." She was swaying even she was just standing. "Don't be shy."

"Not fond to digital stuff," he took a sip from his cup.

"Come on, Damon!" She pouted foolishly. "Don't be such a baby."

"Fine, snap whatever you like." He revealed his most insincere and phoney smirk. Worst smile of the century, Elena would caption.

The photograph did not turn out as bad as it was back at the party. Speaking of which, he seemed to be in a bad mood that day. It was abnormal for Damon Salvatore not to party hard, especially there were tons of victims of his choice - teenage girls. She could not recall what had happened that day. Did she infuriate him? Were they in some kind of mission to kill Klauss but failed? Whatever it was, it seemed to bother Elena.

"First you were all fussed up, then there were this beam on your eyes. Now, you look troubled." The familiar voice spoke. Elena's hand slipped and the cell phone fell onto her bed. "Mood swing time?"

"Damon!" She exclaimed. "When did you-"

"Longer than you expect."

"Why are you-"

"Just checking on the princess that everyone loves to protect," there was a mocking tone on his voice.

"You said you were leaving."

"Yeah," he puckered his brows. "Soon."

There were too much questions in her head. She was lost and flummoxed. Silence remained. The atmosphere was getting the nerves out of her.

"Before I leave, I need to do something."

"What is it?" She was unnerved.

He dashed in a flash and appeared just few inches away from her. She looked intently to his light blue shimmering eyes, and then she went down to search for his rose-red lips. She moved her head involuntarily closer to him. Her hands repositioned themselves onto the back of his head and she pushed his face nearer to hers until their lips touched. She slowly stroked his hair with her fingers as she aggressively savoured every kiss she was sharing with Damon. Damon broke the kiss; he was gratified and distressed at the same time. At first, he thought of just giving words of advice about Klauss, but he never imagined Elena would kiss him.

Without a second thought, Elena swung her right arm and gave a blow on his face.

"What the hell, Damon?" She bellowed.

"I should be the one asking 'What the hell, Elena'!" Damon yelled back, mortified. "You're the one who kissed me first."

"That's because you compelled me to, like you compelled me in my dreams!"

"Genius." He pointed the necklace around her neck. "You're wearing vervain."

Elena quickly took a glimpse on the necklace. It was _the_ vervain necklace. She was stupefied and perplexed. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Are you alright, Elena?" He patted on her shoulder. "What do you mean you dreamed that I compelled you?"

She shoved his hand away from her. "Don't touch me!"

"Elena!" Stefan appeared at the entrance of Elena's bedroom. He scowled as he saw Damon. "I knew it!"

Stefan was wrathful that his eyes darkened and veins popped out at the area around his eyes. He was in his full vampirism form. He bolted towards Damon and started to strangle him. He knocked Damon's head onto the floor and continued to add strength onto the grip. He was grinding his teeth ferociously and breathing air out of his throat.

"Stefan, stop!" Elena cried. Her eyes were gleaming with tears. "Stefan!"

"Stop it, Stefan!" Damon could barely speak. He was struggling, beating his brother's arms and kicking the floor stiffly. His face was excruciating. "She kissed me first!"

For a second, Stefan's mind went paper blank, mere words had gotten into his bones. The next second, words started to be comprehended by his brain. His eyes slowly turned back to normal form, and the veins withdrawn from surfacing. He gawked at the floor, his mouth half opened. His arms loosened the grip on Damon's neck.

Elena's heart raced with fear, anxiety, fret. It was throbbing so outrageously. Damon could not stop hearing the beats of her heart and worrying for a heart attack to occur.

"Stefan," she called. "I… I…"

"Don't," Stefan tried to calm down. He closed his eyes for a moment and inhaling a deep breath before continuing, "talk."

"Stefan," she squeaked.

Stefan stood back upright, and then sped like a jet, out of the house. Elena followed, but obviously with a human speed, she could never race to him.

"Elena!" Someone called below. He continued to stride to Elena's room and was totally amazed with Damon's posture, who was sitting on the floor, looking wretched. "What happened to you?"

"Don't ask." Damon stood up slowly. "I almost got killed by my little brother."

"Enlighten me," Jeremy leered, while crossing his arms and resting his body slightly onto the door.

"I remember I just said," he walked to Jeremy and knocked him on the shoulder with his arm. He stared back at him with his blue eyes glowing and widening. His voice was formidable. "Don't ask."

**...**

"So you kissed Damon, and Stefan went in. He was angry that Damon was in your room, so he tried to kill Damon, and then Damon spat out that you kissed him first," Caroline summarized. "Why did you even kiss Damon?"

"I don't know," Elena replied dreadfully. "I was out of my mind; I was like, controlled by someone. I don't understand what I was doing."

"Wait, you felt like you're being controlled? Are you compelled?"

"Well, I was wearing my vervain necklace," Elena stated bluntly.

"So, you can't be compelled!" Caroline added. Elena could only frown.

"Are you sure you have no feelings for Damon?" Bonnie asked, raising an eyebrow.

Elena bit her lower lips.

"Oh my God! Elena!" Caroline screeched. "You are not falling for evil brother! I am not allowing you!"

"I'm not sure if this is related," Elena tried to avoid the chance of having feelings for Damon. "But lately I've been having this dream that involves Damon. It felt real and… _real_."

"What dream?" Caroline and Bonnie asked in unison. Their eyes focused on Elena's, they were consumed to her words.

"It was night. He was in my room," Elena bet she heard Caroline gasped "sex", "he told me that he loves me and all sort of things. It was really familiar but I have no memory of it."

"Maybe he did." Bonnie said. "You know, obviously he is crazily in love with you, in an awkward way."

"The problem is he _kissed_ me in the dream." Elena rubbed her head. "I never kissed him."

"You just did," Caroline cut in.

"Caroline," Bonnie gave her that stern look.

"What?"

"Anyway, Elena," Bonnie continued the conversation. "Is there any way that maybe it's something that you were compelled to forget?"

"I don't think it's possible for a human to remember something that she is compelled to forget," Caroline emphasised. "I'm a vampire, and the time I remembered all the compulsions made by evil brother was when I was turned."

Caroline paused for a moment, then continued. "Oh my God, Elena! Are you turning to a vampire? When? How?"

"The last time I checked, I am still perfectly a normal human being." She stretched her arm to reveal her wrist. "You can check by trying my blood."

"Elena!" Caroline seemed offended.

"Guys," Bonnie cried. "I know we are all drained and aggravated from all the supernatural events, but we have to stay strong and stick together."

Elena and Caroline looked at each other with a pang of conscience.

"Stefan wouldn't answer any of my calls or return my calls or reply any texts or make any interactions." Elena was in deep despair, her eyes went teary.

"I'll try to talk to Stefan." Caroline patted on Elena's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Elena."

"Meanwhile, I'll try to talk to the spirits and see what I can dig out." Bonnie scowled.

The three of them were ready to stand up, then Caroline suddenly uttered. "What about Damon?"

"I've been ignoring him since that day."

"You can ignore him, but you can't hide from him," Bonnie signalled Damon's appearance with a few head shakes. He was just about 10 feet away from them. He was moving his pace towards them.

"Great." Elena hissed.

"How long has he been sneaking up on us?" Caroline shrilled while glowering at Damon.

"Hey, how are you girls?" Damon grinned, not the best soothing look at all.

"Hey." Each of them greeted perfunctorily.

"Can I borrow Elena for a moment?" He pressed his lips a little too hard.

"It's OK, we're leaving." Bonnie replied. Elena widened her eyes while glaring at Bonnie. Her lips moved in a way she was reading Bonnie's name, but no voice was heard.

Both of the girls left, leaving the two of them standing beside of a coffee shop.

"Don't give me _that_ look, Elena." Damon started. "I know, I know. It's my fault that you are having a little hitch in the relationship with my little brother."

"Are you done?" Elena asked impatiently while walking away from him.

"I know you have feelings for me, Elena." Damon followed. "Don't deny that feelings because I know that this is true."

"Whatever you do, there will never be _us_." She replied coldly, like a summer breeze.

"I know, but why don't you give yourself a choice to pick one?"

"Why is it even a choice?" Elena asked. "Isn't it clear?"

Damon was baffled with Elena's questions. Was it clear? Was she saying he was not at all compatible for her? Does she mean that he does not deserve her?

"Damon." She took a deep breath. "I love Stefan much more than anything. It is a fact and nothing is going to change it. Definitely, not by you."

Damon was sure he heard something snapped, cracked. It was his heart. Elena continued to walk away from him as he slowly succumbed to his lament. His heart was never recovered ever since Katherine broke his heart. He thought he mended his crystal heart, but it was shattered into pieces once again. By the same face, same reason. He was never their choice, it was always Stefan. It was always his little brother.


End file.
